


Stargazer

by shockandlock



Category: Dr. STONE (Anime), Dr. STONE (Manga)
Genre: During Canon, Friendship, Gen, Stars
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-01
Updated: 2020-03-01
Packaged: 2021-02-28 09:47:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,053
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22967974
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shockandlock/pseuds/shockandlock
Summary: Even though thousands of years have passed, Taiju realizes that some things will never change. That fact is comforting.
Relationships: Ishigami Senkuu & Ooki Taiju
Comments: 4
Kudos: 55





	Stargazer

**Author's Note:**

> I decided that I wanted to write a nice, short oneshot for this fandom! I've gotten into Dr. Stone pretty recently through the manga and I'm really excited to see where it goes. I hope to be more active in this fandom in the future!
> 
> Enjoy!

Taiju knew that people found his friendship with Senku strange to say the least, but he never let it get to him. The two of them were very different on a fundamental level and both of them were aware of that fact. He was “simple-minded”– not stupid.

As Senku put it, “There’s a fine line between stupid and simple-minded.” He never specified exactly which side of this invisible line that Taiju fell on, but his grin was enough of an answer (and Taiju’s simple-mindedness could understand that much at least). 

And so, while he never completely understood Senku whenever he was hashing out the details of his next pet project, he always pitched in his share of the work with physical labor. After all, what were friends for? Although, he knew Senku was smart enough to just build something to help with the physical aspect. Not one to shy from his feelings, he asked him about this.

“Science can be a lonely process,” Senku said as he carefully examined one of his test tubes, ”but it doesn’t have to be.”

“Aw, Senku! Bring it in.” Taiju, unable to hold back a wide smile, held his arms wide open for a hug.

“Not now, you oaf!”

Taiju’s favorite moments were the nights when they watched the stars together with Yuzuriha. Senku preferred to use his telescope, but Taiju and Yuzuriha didn’t mind just using their eyes, staring in wonder at the vast sky above them. It was practically another world up there.

“With science the way it is now, becoming an astronaut requires overcoming a number of physical barriers that I do not meet,” Senku explained. “So I just have to change that, don’t I?” He had always surprised adults in the past with his unique “screw it, I’m going to space now” kind of attitude, but he was never unrealistic. He always had some process working in his mind, even if he was the only one who really understood it. 

“If anyone can do it, it’s you, Senku,” Yuzuriha, ever the supportive one, said with a smile. 

“Yeah!” Taiju agreed. “You better not just forget about us when you’re up there, you hear?”

“It would be impossible to forget about you even if I wanted to.”

* * *

Sure enough, over three thousand years passed and he didn’t forget. Taiju didn’t either.

“Three thousand years, huh…” he muttered. He waved the fish he was holding closer to the center of the fire, hoping that it would cook faster.

“Higher. Add an extra seven hundred years on that number and your estimate is still under,” Senku corrected. “It’s a rather big difference, as I’ve told you several times.”

Taiju just shrugged. “Sorry. It’s hard not to think about, and the fact that you counted all that out in seconds? Damn. It’s kinda terrifying.”

Senku smirked at him as if it was a compliment, which, if Taiju really thought about it, it was (though intentional). He didn’t mean it as an insult at all (far from it), but he couldn’t comprehend counting for millions and billions of seconds. He didn’t have the patience for that– hardly had the patience to count out a single minute with nothing else to focus on. “I admit it wasn’t easy. I almost lost consciousness several times, but much like how your emotions aided your awakening, brain activity was my key to staying awake.”

“Awake?” Taiju frowned. “Aren’t you tired?” He felt like he never saw Senku sleep. He’d always seemed superhuman in a way, but at the same time, Taiju knew it wasn’t true. Senku was very human and he understood that. It’s why he worked so hard. 

For a moment, Senku didn’t say anything. “We don’t have the luxury to be tired.” Then very casually, he pointed to Taiju’s hands. “You can eat that now, you know.”

“Oh. Thanks, Senku!” His stomach had been rumbling quietly throughout the conversation, which he had been using as a distraction from his hunger. Relieved that dinner was finally ready, he chomped down with gusto, spraying bits as he talked. “I guess you’ve never really been one to think too much about the past.” 

“Well, I’m not a historian, now am I?” Senku had always been rather forward thinking, which Taiju supposed was perfect for a scientist. “Although, you could say that science does require some knowledge of history.”

“What do you mean?” Taiju asked. 

“Science is more than just science itself,” Senku said. He looked upward at the night sky. “It’s the history of the process, knowledge of the geography and the land’s resources, math to understand formals and physics.”

“So… science is  _ all _ ?”

“Surprisingly philosophical for you, but yes. Science is all.”

That night was spent like many nights from long, long ago: lying on the ground as they gazed up at the stars above. On the other hand, there was a big difference. 

Ever since waking up, Taiju thought about Yuzuriha every single day.  _ “It will probably take a while to revive her,”  _ Senku had explained.  _ “Science is not just quick and easy, as much as we want it to be right now.” _

Taiju didn’t care how long it would take. He’d keep on going for another three thousand years if it meant bringing her back, but he still knew that things could never be completely the same again. 

Even the sky was different. “You can see a lot more stars out,” Taiju said. 

He wasn’t necessarily expecting Senku to say anything, but he answered anyways. “There’s no more artificial light on earth, hence no light pollution to prevent us from seeing the stars.”

Not for the first time, Taiju was reminded of how far back they were set. “It’s practically like we’re living on a different planet now.”

“We should be glad we’re not,” Senku scoffs. “I know exactly what we’re working with down here on earth, and we’re going to need that knowledge to jumpstart civilization.” Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Senku move, reaching his hand upwards. “Then one day, we can see other planets for real. Get excited!”

Taiju couldn’t help smiling. He should have known that Senku still had that “screw it, I’m going to space now” attitude. He looked back towards the sky and reached out as well. “Yeah. Let’s do that!”

**Author's Note:**

> Please consider following me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/shockandlock) or checking out my [carrd](https://shockandlock.carrd.co/) if you'd like to see fun little writing updates or support me!
> 
> Make sure to leave Kudos and a Comment down below!


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